UniForum SA, trading as, the ZA Central Registry (ZACR) manages and administers the .co.za domain name space. Over the past two years the ZACR has taken steps to align its domain name registry operating system to international standards by implementing a registration system that is based on the Extensible Provision Protocol (EPP).

Registrars, businesses and the general public are encouraged to engage with UniForum SA trading as the ZA Central Registry over policy changes to the .co.za domain. (Image: File)

EPP is a modern XML-based protocol used to allocate objects within registries over the Internet. EPP also enhances communication between the domain name registry and registrar communities and makes real-time processing of domain names a reality.

Currently, the EPP system operates in tandem with the legacy SMTP-based domain name system. Apart from technology developments arising from scalability concerns, it has become imperative to introduce competitive pricing models as well as changes within the current EPP and legacy operating systems to improve the functionality of the systems and consequently create a robust domain name industry in South Africa.

To this end the ZACR has published a number of proposed policy changes that are applicable to both the EPP and legacy systems. Briefly, the proposed policy changes on the EPP system involve increasing the new registrar accreditation fee that is payable as a once-off non-refundable amount; implementation of a closed registrar redemption process; implementation of an open redemption process which will place a non-redeemed domain name into the available pool for registration by any EPP registrar; and removal of the transfer reimbursement fee currently applicable to participating registrars in a registrar transfer process.

Proposed policy changes on the legacy system include increasing the annual domain registration fee from R50.00 to R75.00 (including VAT); non-delegation of the applied for domain name into the Co.Za zone until such time as receipt of the domain name registration fee is confirmed; implementation of a shortened expiry period of 30 days for new domain name applications; and implementation of a shortened expiry period of 60 days in total from the month on which renewal of a domain becomes due.

It has been pointed out that the fee to Accredited Registrars on the EPP system has been reduced from R43 per domain name per year to R35 per name per year. The fee increase mentioned earlier only relates to the Legacy Registration and Renewal Fee and will not apply if your domain name is administered through an Accredited CO.ZA Registrar. In this regard the final price to Registrants (end users) for domain administered through Accredited Registrars is essentially regulated by free market principles and it may be worthwhile shopping around for the best price. A list of Accredited Registrars is available here: https://www.registry.net.za/accredited_registrars.php.

Stakeholders, including but not limited to registrars, businesses and the general public are urged to take note of these proposed changed and are also invited and encouraged to engage with the ZACR on the proposed changes by either recording their written submissions/comments using the prescribed template that can be found at https://www.registry.net.za/policyrollout/, and/or attending iWeek between the 10-14 September 2012 (annual meeting of stakeholders involved in the internet industry) where these policy changes will be discussed in greater detail.

* It has been pointed out that the fee to Accredited Registrars on the EPP system has been reduced from R43 per domain name per year to R35 per name per year. The fee increase mentioned only relates to the Legacy Registration and Renewal Fee and will not apply if your domain name is administered through an Accredited CO.ZA Registrar. In this regard the final price to Registrants (end users) for domain administered through Accredited Registrars is essentially regulated by free market principles and it may be worthwhile shopping around for the best price. A list of Accredited Registrars is available here: https://www.registry.net.za/accredited_registrars.php.

One Response to Policy changes looming for co.za

PLEASE NOTE: The Fee to Accredited Registrars on the EPP system has been reduced from R43 per domain name per year to R35 per name per year. The fee increase mentioned in the article above only relates to the Legacy Registration and Renewal Fee and will not apply if your domain name is administered through an Accredited CO.ZA Registrar. In this regard the final price to Registrants (end users) for domain administered through Accredited Registrars is essentially regulated by free market principles and it may be worthwhile shopping around for the best price. A list of Accredited Registrars is available here: https://www.registry.net.za/accredited_registrars.php.